Illuminated sign



June 27, 1950 c. w. CHARLTON 2,513,146

ILLUMINATED sxcu Filed June 4, 1945 ZSnnentor 4' Mose W (bar/f0 Patented June 27, 1950 UNITED "STATES PATENT v OFFICE W I'LLUM'INATED SI'GN. Chase W. Charlton. Spokane, Wash, assignor of one-half to Beem,Seattle, Wash. v Application June 4, 1945, SerialNo. 591481 in its front wall and rotary disks in thehousing carrying neon tubes, the disks being located back of the letters so that when the sign is in operation and the disks rotating the neon tubes will move rapidly in a circular path back of the letters, thus producing a flickering light effect so that the sign will be of attractive appearance and catch the eye of a person.

Another object of the invention is to provide an electric sign wherein the neon tubes carried by the rotary disks extend substantially diametrically of the disk, each tube having a portion extending radially of the disk and for the remainder of its length being curved longitudinally so that sweeping movement of the straight portion and the curved portion of the tube back of the cutout letters in the front wall of the housing will cause such flickering light effect that :a persons attention will be quickly attracted to the sign.

Another object of the invention is to so arrange the neon tube and the rotary disk in respect to the cutout letters that in most cases the flickering light will have the appearance of a rosette, the light being more pronounced at the center of the letter .and diminishing towards ends thereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide a sign wherein power for rotating the disks is obtained from an electric motor in the housing and the neon tubes are energized by current passed through a transformer and stepped up to high voltage.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a front view of the improved sign.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken transversely through the sign along line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a view looking at the front of one of the disks.

Figure 4 is a semi-diagrammatic view illustrating flickering of the light from the neon tube during operation of the sign.

This improved sign has a housing I provided at its front with a wall 2, upper and lower edge portions of the front wall being formed with channels 3 into which fit flanges 4. The front wall will thus be held to the housing but may be shifted longitudinally for removal when necessary. The housing may be of any desired dimensions according to the number of letters 5 1 Claim. (Cl. 40-133) which are to be cut from this wall and the size of. thev letters} While letters have been shown ,cutfrom the .frontwallitwill be understood that .any characte rs desired or other figures or symbols niayrbe cut from the front wall.

In order to illuminate the sign and cause flickering light to be provided back of the letters there have been provided disks 6 which are disposed back of the letters as shown in Figure 1. Each disk is formed of stiff insulating material and has a hub 'l at its center to receive the front end of a shaft 8. j The shafts'are rotatably mounted through bearings 9 at upper ends of standards l0 and one shaft carries a large pulley ll engaged by a belt [2, which is also trained about a small pulley l3 carried by the shaft of an electric motor M. A small pulley I5 is carried by each shaft and about these pulleys is engaged a long belt IS, the belt l6 having its flights crossed between the pulleys 15 so that the belt will be maintained in driving engagement with the pulleys and also in order to cause each disk to turn in a direction opposite to that of the disk next to it.

Each disk 6 carries a neon tube I1 extending substantially diametrically of the disk in crossed relation to the center thereof. Referring to Figure 3 it will be seen that the tube has end portions l8 and IS, the portion l8 extending radially of the disk and being straight throughout its length and the portion l9 being curved longitudinally so that it is disposed in offset relation to a diameter of which the radius for portion [8 forms a part. Ends of the neon tube pass rearwardly through the disk and one is provided with a ground wire 20 secured to the hub of the disk. The other end of the tube has connected to it a wire 2| which passes through the hollow shaft 8 and is connected with a terminal post of a transformer 22. This transformer receives current from power wires 23 leading to the motor, there being branch wires 24 leading from wires 23 to the transformer, and the transformer is grounded to one of the standards In by a wire 25. When the sign is in use it is set up in position where it may be clearly seen and the wires 23 connected with a source of current. Rotary motion is transmitted from the motor to the pulley ll carried by one shaft and since the shafts carry pulleys about which the belt I6 is engaged the shafts 8 and disks carried thereby will all be rotated and at the same rate of speed. Stepped up current from the transformer energizes the neon tubes and as the disks rotate the cutout letters 5, in the front wall of the housing, will be clearly displayed by light in the housing. Since the tubes have the straight portions l8 and the curved portions [9 which follow each other in rapid movement across the cutout letters flickering light will be provided back of each letter and since portions of the tube at the center of the disk are continuously exposed through portions of most of the letters, the flickering light will have the appearance of a rosette, as shown in Figure 4. Since the disks turn in opposite directions, there will be a marked contrast between adjoining letters and thus add to the attractiveness of the sign. When repairs or replacements are necessary the front wall 2 may be easily slid out of closing relation to the housing, repairs or replacements made and the front wall then slid back into place.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is: i

A sign comprising a housing having front and rear walls, the front wall being formed with "cutout characters spaced from each other longitudinally of the'housing, vertical standards in said housing spaced from each other between the front and rear Walls back of said characters and provided with bearings at their upper ends, horizontal shafts rotatably mounted through the bearings and extending horizon-tally between the front and rear walls midway the height and width of the characters, vertically disposed disks fixed tofront ends of said shafts and each loshaft to the remaining shafts and causing rotation of the adjoining disks in opposite directions, and a transformer in said housing in circuit with and supplying high voltage current to the tubes.

CHASE W. CHARLTON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of recordin the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 987,335 Watkins Mar. 21, 1911 1,727,229 Cohen Sept. 3, 1929 1,800,764 Wheeler et a1 Ap'r. 1 i, 1931 1,836,905 Craig Dec. 15, 1931 1,853,284 Pross'er Apr. 12, 1932 2,175,072 WOmD'ey Oct. 3, 1939 "2,293,106 Boui'dakofi Aug. 18, 1942 

